I am a senior who loves to play video games, and I've found that Adventure games require you to use your brain while First Person Shooters like GTA 4 & GOW (Grand Theft Auto 4 & Gears of War) are mindless shoot em ups that are more about fast reflexes than brain power. Thats why our younger generation goes after them. They don't want to use their minds to solve a problem or a puzzle, but they would rather spend their time mindlessly mowing down wave after wave of AI enhanced enemies.

Unfortunately for those of us who like Adventure gaming we are going to see fewer and fewer Adventure game titles coming out. I haven't played a new Adventure game since Barrow Hill and The Sacred Rings came out. I too have been forced into playing these mindless shoot em ups Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying these type of games are not fun to play but, give me a good Adventure game any day of the week.

I'm so enjoying this thread. I first joined this site years ago because the name gameboomers represented my age group (I'll be fifty in October) and I was amazed how many "women of a certain age" love this type of game. I started with the King's Quest games in the 80's and haven't stopped since. I played alot with my daughter (now 31) and those are the only games she enjoys despite her husband who loves the shooters. I plan on teaching my grandkids (now 2 and 4) to play these kinds of games as well. Otherwise the new generation will take over and all we'll have are the action games. But, like many of you I don't know anyone in my area who enjoys these, and although I do most of my buying online (Dave at InteractCD rocks) when I do go to a store people do look at you funny-most everyone near me could defintely be my child My husband thinks I'm nuts (although he should talk as he has a serious addiciton to playing hearts online). I'll often drag him into my study to show him some opening scene or ask for help on a puzzle, but generally he just shakes his head.I'm just grateful for this site-everyone is always friendly and as someelse expressed you never feel dumb when you ask a question. Gameboomer's is simply the best. Ever. Margie

Hello Tazmanw I am also in my 50s and I regualy visit gameboomers .I love my adventure games and like you my husband is nt so hot on with advenure games but it is nice to talk to others who have the same hobby .It keeps the grey matter going

First Person Shooters like GTA 4 & GOW (Grand Theft Auto 4 & Gears of War) are mindless shoot em ups that are more about fast reflexes than brain power.

I think not! GTA is a 3rd person shooter, anyway. I can't speak for Gears of War, but GTA does require more than fast reflexes. And, come on, do adventure games really require much brain power?? You occasionally get a hard puzzle here and there. A good FPS requires a lot of brain power in addition to good reflexes. Modern FPS enemy AI is smart, and there are often multiple ways to approach a situation. You can do the exact sequence over and over again in FEAR, Far Cry, or Max Payne, trying to find a better strategy. And that's just single player. If you go online and play Team Fortress 2 you'll encounter ever changing strategies presented by other live humans. TF2 also requires teamwork, which adds even more strategy. These are games are the exact opposite of mindless. TV is mindless.

I understand that many gameboomers don't like FPSs, but claiming that adventure games are somehow smarter is just ridiculous. Personally, I'm terrible at real time strategy (Starcraft), and prefer turn based (Civilization). I could claim that turn based requires more thinking, but this is simply untrue. I'm just bad at it, and RTSs are complex and difficult. You should be able to admit this too: FPSs are just too hard for you. Don't disparage an entire huge genre because of that.

Sorry to be argumentative, but I keep seeing things like this here and it's frustrating. GTA is, in spite of the violence and immorality, one of the best games ever. Half-Life 2 (FPS) has a better story than almost any adventure game I've played, and even includes some really cool physics based puzzles that any gameboomer would enjoy.

Hi cl0vis -- although some of us (myself included) stick pretty much to just adventure games, there are others of us who enjoy other genres too -- you can tell by stopping by the GameBoomers' Darkside and Casual Games forums. Even those of us who do play mostly adventure games often have family members who play other genres.

It's impossible to make progress in games from any genre without using your brains. Adventures test your brains rather than your reflexes, which is why I like them. I've made it through action sequences in adventures (including the shooting gallery in WANTED and the General's High Council in The Experiment), but I just don't like them.

I made it through the combat sequences in Dreamfall, but I liked fighting even less than other forms of action. I don't like hurting anyone, even a virtual character in a game. Repeatedly beating another character into submission (for me) requires a disengagement from the actual act -- I'm not sure that this is actually mindlessness, but it feels a bit like it.

Hafe life is more like action adventure and I must admit it as got a good story and would never have thought to play it till my son had me trying it out .Like Becky just arent keen on fighting as my nan always said it takes all sorts

tazmanw, I agree alot with your post. I turned 50 in April. My daughter is home from college and plays Sims 2 all the time. She will play a ND from time to time but mainly it's Sims. My son is on his own, but loves the Xbox shooter types. My husband too tolerates my "addiction", shops with me for games, looks at the cool things I see on the screen, and even helps me if he can. I guess that is why GB is so great, there is alot of us out there that can get together even though there is miles and sometimes oceans separating us.

A funny thing happened to me (beside all the twenty something guys too in the stores that think I have no idea about computers, specs or games) , is that I have worked with special needs kids. I was working with spelling and the word had a "z" in it. I was trying to make sure I made it clear so I said "z as in....Zelda." The child said, "YOU know who Zelda is??" I said "Yes, I have played many Zelda games, in fact that is how I got started playing games". He had a shocked look on his face and said, "YOU play Zelda???". I had to try not to laugh and said "Yes, I play Zelda and other games too". He was in total shock!!! He didn't know I was sooo cool!

In fact, my 2 year old grandson now begs me to get out the laptop and play the "dragon game" which is a BFG majong game. I have some muppet things for him now and ISPY when he is older. Gotta pass it on!